


100 Moments With You

by epicpenguinexplosion



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-03-14 13:03:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13590609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epicpenguinexplosion/pseuds/epicpenguinexplosion
Summary: It all started with Izumi standing up for a fellow clan member. Who knew that an encounter with bullies could turn into such a beautiful friendship? A collection of ItaIzu oneshots of varying genres and ratings.





	1. Introduction

Tick… Tock…

Itachi Uchiha eyed the clock at the front of the classroom, willing the hands to move faster. There was only five more minutes until lunchtime, and the six year old couldn't wait. It wasn't that he hated his classes or anything; he loved learning new things. The problem was that his classes were just way too easy! Why did his sensei have to explain the proper way to throw a shuriken over and over again? Itachi knew how to throw a shuriken before he even entered the academy.

Sighing to himself and looking around the room, the raven found that most of his classmates were either whispering to their friends or flat out sleeping. No wonder his sensei had to go over the same thing all of the time. Only half listening to the lecture, Itachi observed a girl writing something in her notebook. He recognized the girl as Izumi Uchiha, one of his fellow clan members. They'd seen each other in the Uchiha compound all of the time, and were now classmates. However, they'd never actually spoken. Itachi briefly wondered why that was, since the girl always seemed to sneak glances at him.

Based on the movements of her pen, Itachi could tell that Izumi was doodling rather than taking notes on the lecture. The raven shook his head in disapproval. The girl was an Uchiha, and if she was serious about being a ninja, she should be paying attention. The sound of the lunch bell interrupted his thoughts, and he quickly gathered his bento before heading outside for some fresh air.

It was truly a beautiful day outside, and Itachi couldn't help but let a small smile grace his features as he took in the blue skies and chirping birds. Finding a shady spot underneath a cherry blossom tree, he took out his chopsticks and dug into the meal his mother had prepared for him. In between bites, he watched his fellow classmates play tag and talk amongst themselves while enjoying their lunch. During his time at the academy, quite a few students had tried to befriend him. However, Itachi preferred to keep his circle small. There just weren't many people he clicked with, and most of his classmates eventually gave up on trying to make small talk.

Suddenly, the raven spotted three boys approaching him from the corner of his eye. He gave a small huff of annoyance, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

"Oi, Uchiha! Why are you sitting by yourself? Still have no friends, huh?"

"It's probably because he's a freak. He barely talks to anyone! It's like he's a mute or something!"

"Ha, good one! What about the fact that he's growing his hair out? What a sissy!"

Yep. There it was.

Itachi had no idea why certain classmates of his felt the need to bully him every chance they got. His only guess was that they were jealous of him consistently being at the top of their class. Their words didn't hurt at all, as he didn't have an interest in what others thought of him. He hadn't even taken the time to learn their names. It was more annoying than anything. All he wanted was to enjoy his lunch in peace, but that clearly wouldn't be happening.

Just a short distance away, Izumi watched as the scene unfolded right before her eyes. Honestly, the nerve of those boys! She'd never spoken to Itachi before, because quite frankly, she was too shy. However, she didn't need to speak to him to know that he had done nothing to deserve being bullied. He was known as the prodigy of the Uchiha clan even at his young age, and was very well mannered from what she could tell. He was a genius, and she was afraid that she'd say something stupid if she tried to befriend him. Though as she watched her classmates continue to berate him, she found that she couldn't simply stand by anymore. She had to do something.

"Hey! You three leave Itachi alone! What in the world has he done to deserve this treatment!?" Izumi exclaimed, running over to the scene.

The oldest looking boy who seemed to be the leader of the group turned towards her with a scowl. "Mind your own business! This kid never talks to anyone, so he's clearly stuck up and thinks he's better than us!" He barked.

Izumi couldn't help but roll her eyes at the childish assumption. "Stuck up? Maybe he's just shy! Seems to me like you're just jealous!"

Itachi took in the scene in front of him and cocked his head to the side, intrigued. No one had ever made the effort to stick up for him before, not that he needed them to. Even so, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't grateful to the girl. The raven watched as the argument between the bullies and his unlikely savior continued to escalate, and barely held back a gasp as the leader pulled out a shuriken.

Quickly reaching into his own shuriken pouch to deflect the weapon, Itachi was shocked as Izumi beat him to it. In the blink of an eye, the girl had pulled out her own shuriken and perfectly deflected the one hurling at Itachi's face. What in the world had just happened?

'I guess she's serious about becoming a ninja after all,' Itachi thought with a small smile.

"So now you need a girl to fight your battles for you!?" The leader yelled, clearly furious.

"Will you give it a rest!? Leave Itachi alone already before the next shuriken I pull out ends up where the sun doesn't shine!" Izumi growled.

The boys collectively gulped, and decided they'd rather not anger the girl more than she already was. With an angry huff and a comment about 'feisty Uchihas,' the bullies finally took their leave.

Izumi stuck her tongue at the boys as they walked away, momentarily forgetting that the prodigy of her clan was sitting right in front of her. Remembering where she was and blushing in embarrassment, she sat down next to Itachi with a smile.

"Um, hi there. Are you alright? I hope I didn't make too much of a scene… It's just, watching those jerks speak to you like that made me really mad and I couldn't just stand by and do nothing! I mean, who even does that!? Is that any way for a shinobi of Konoha to act?" she rambled, inwardly facepalming at herself.

Amused by her antics, Itachi simply smiled back. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you sticking up for me. No one has never done that before. You're Izumi, right?"

Surprised that he knew her name already, the girl simply nodded. "Yes, I'm Izumi Uchiha. Of course, everyone already knows who you are. You're the talk of the Uchiha clan, as well as the academy," Izumi gushed.

Itachi looked away in embarrassment, not sure how to take the compliment. The two sat together in silence for a couple of moments, but it strangely wasn't awkward. The raven looked over Izumi's shoulder to find that her bento was laying facedown, forgotten in the grass. Well, that certainly wasn't acceptable.

The girl noticed Itachi looking behind her, and frowned upon realizing she'd dropped her lunch in her rush to stop those jerks.

'Guess I'll be going hungry for now. I need to stop being so clumsy,' Izumi thought, her stomach growling.

"You dropped your lunch because of those bullies, right? You can have some of mine. I have an extra pair of chopsticks," Itachi said, grabbing the chopsticks and holding them out to her.

"Oh, thank you! I really appreciate it," she replied, accepting them with a smile.

As the two ate their lunch in a comfortable silence, Itachi found himself glancing at Izumi every now and then. She certainly had guts, and knew how to throw shuriken like a champ. It was then that he decided to make it a point to say 'hi' to her the next time he saw her around the Uchiha compound.

Who knew that an encounter with bullies could begin a beautiful friendship?


	2. Complicated

"Welcome back, Itachi-san!"

Itachi Uchiha walked through the village gates and glanced in the direction of the person acknowledging him. Recognizing the man as Kotetsu Hagane, one of the gate guards, he nodded in greeting before making his way over to the welcoming station.

"Izumo-san, Kotetsu-san. Always nice to see you," Itachi greeted politely.

"Likewise. I take it your mission went well?" Izumo asked.

The Uchiha simply nodded. "It did. I was just on my way to file my report before heading home."

After engaging in polite small talk for a few moments, Itachi summoned one of his crows to alert his girlfriend, Izumi Uchiha, that he would be home shortly. As much as he wanted to go straight home and enjoy her company immediately, he still needed to report to Tsunade. With a quick goodbye wave to Izumo and Kotetsu, he set off in the direction of the Hokage Tower.

x-x-x

"In conclusion, the monk made it to his destination safely. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred on my way back home."

Tsunade nodded at the man standing in front of her, jotting down the rest of her notes before gathering them into a folder. She set the folder aside before grabbing a new one and presenting it to the man in front of her, who took it wordlessly.

"I expected nothing less from you, Itachi. I'm glad the mission went off without a hitch. The folder I've just handed you contains the details of your next mission. It's another simple escort mission. You are to leave in the morning," Tsunade said.

Itachi internally sighed at the news he'd just been delivered, but his outward appearance showed nothing of his discomfort. Under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn't mind taking another mission so soon after the last. His reason for living was for his loved ones, and to serve his village. However, these were far from ordinary circumstances. His anniversary with Izumi was tomorrow, and he really didn't want to miss it. She'd been so disappointed when he ended up missing their last anniversary, as well as her last birthday. Of course, she tried not to show it, but he could see it in her eyes. He was well aware that it was all part of his job to miss such occasions. However, Itachi found himself wondering if he should protest, just this once.

'Well, it certainly wouldn't hurt to try. I never make this type of request, and surely Tsunade can find someone else for such a simple mission.'

With that thought, Itachi decided to go for it.

"If I may, hokage-sama, I must respectfully decline this mission," the Uchiha said quietly.

The blonde's eyes widened, shocked by his objection. It was unlike Itachi to decline any mission. She could understand being burned out, had he just returned from a dangerous assassination. But, his last assignments have been a walk in the park. She was truly curious as to the reason.

"On what grounds do you decline?" she asked.

"Personal reasons. Tomorrow is my anniversary with Izumi. I am well aware that I cannot be home for every important event. However, I also missed our last anniversary, as well as her last birthday. Given that this is such a simple mission, is there no way someone else can handle it? We have many capable shinobi," Itachi finished.

Tsunade took in the raven's words, and folded her hands in front of her. Truthfully, she wanted to grant the Uchiha's request. If anyone deserved a break, it was him. Unfortunately, there was one big problem.

"I understand where you're coming from, Itachi. And I feel for you. Normally, I'd be happy to grant this request for you, especially considering the simplicity of the mission. However, our contractor is a well-known political figure. Not only that, but he requested you specifically. My hands are tied here."

Itachi simply nodded in understanding, deciding not to object any further. He believed her when she said she would be happy to grant his request under different circumstances. "Understood, hokage-sama," he said.

If the raven was disappointed, he'd never show it. Tsunade knew that well enough. Still, she truly did feel for Itachi and Izumi. She'd seen the two on dates around the village occasionally, and they made a cute couple. Izumi was strong, beautiful, and a little feisty. She'd make a great matriarch for the Uchiha clan.

"I know you're probably disappointed, but you'll only be gone for two or three days. I'm sure Izumi will understand. Besides, you can always make it up to her when you get back. I'm sure Jiraiya's Icha-Icha books can give you some creative ideas," Tsunade said with a wink.

While Itachi was never one to falter, even the best of the best have their moments. The hokage's completely inappropriate comment nearly made the raven choke on his own spit. He took a deep breath, willing the blood to stop rushing to his cheeks.

Tsunade couldn't help but laugh heartily at his reaction. The raven was one of the strongest, if not the number one strongest shinobi in the village. He'd seen the goriest battlegrounds, and never even flinched. The thought of a simple dirty comment making him falter was laughable.

"Wow, Uchiha. I never would have thought you were so shy. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone I made you blush."

Itachi resisted the urge to sigh, before bowing and taking his leave.

'Damn.'

x-x-x

Izumi smiled to herself as she gave a quick stir to the rice she was making. She'd received a message from one of Itachi's crows, alerting her that he was back in the village. Though he'd only been gone for a couple of days, she still missed him terribly. It might not have been as bad if she regularly left the village for missions, but mentoring a team of genin made that a rare occurrence. Nowadays, most of her days were spent chaperoning her team while they did D-rank missions for the villagers. Though as their skills improved, she had faith they'd be sent out on more difficult missions in no time.

The brunette checked on the fish that was baking, pleased that it was coming along nicely. It wouldn't be long until lunch was done, so she hoped that Itachi wouldn't be too much longer. She was incredibly excited for their upcoming two-year anniversary the next day. She'd already gotten him a kunai set that she'd seen him eyeing. However, she wondered if that was enough. Glancing at a vase of flowers she'd picked up earlier in the day, she couldn't help but think back to an earlier run in with Ino Yamanaka.

"Eyeing some flowers, I see. Isn't your anniversary with Itachi-kun tomorrow?" Ino asked as she rang up Izumi's purchase.

"It is! He's supposed to be home later today. I'm wondering what I should get him besides the deluxe kunai set from the shop," Izumi replied with a smile.

A sly smile graced Ino's features, and the brunette knew she had to be thinking of something sinister, or perverted. She was almost afraid to ask. Though knowing Ino, she wouldn't have to.

"Why don't you get some naughty lingerie and surprise him? Men love that. I'm sure even Mr. Emotionless would too!" Ino exclaimed.

Alright, so perverted it was. Normally, Izumi would be annoyed by Ino's chosen nickname for Itachi. However, she was too stuck on the word 'lingerie' to care. Mumbling an awkward 'thank you' and taking the flowers, Izumi bolted out of the shop while the blonde proceeded to giggle to herself like a schoolgirl.

Coming back to reality, Izumi checked on the food again and saw that it was about done. Taking the fish out of the oven, the brunette couldn't help but wonder if Itachi really would like something such as naughty lingerie.

Just as she finished that thought, Itachi walked through the door.

"Welcome home, Itachi-kun! You're just in time. I'm in the kitchen plating our lunch!" Izumi called to him.

The raven came up and hugged her from behind, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek while holding her. "It smells great, Izumi. Thank you. Did anything eventful happen while I was away?" he asked, before releasing her.

Izumi shook her head. "No, not really. Koizumi somehow got his head stuck in a trashcan during a clean up mission, though. Does it make me a terrible sensei if I laughed for a bit before helping him?" she asked, grinning at the memory of her clumsy student.

"Even if it did, I wouldn't tell," Itachi replied smoothly.

"Good answer," Izumi laughed, "Did your mission go okay?"

"It did, thankfully," he replied, suddenly feeling slight apprehension. He knew that he'd have to tell her that he was leaving for another mission first thing in the morning, and he really wasn't looking forward to it.

"Glad to hear it! Was there anything special you wanted to do for our anniversary tomorrow? Or would you rather stay home and have a simple dinner?" Izumi asked, walking to the other side of the kitchen for some napkins.

"I actually have some unfortunate news regarding that. While I was giving my report to Tsunade-sama, I was assigned another escort mission. I leave tomorrow morning. I'm sorry," Itachi said quietly, feeling bad for disappointing her yet again.

The brunette stopped in her tracks before slowly turning to face him. She was trying to maintain her composure, but the hurt in her eyes was obvious. "Aa, I see. Did you try explaining to her that we had plans for tomorrow?" she asked.

Itachi debated taking a few steps toward her, but decided against it. It was probably best to give her space at the moment. "I did, and I was denied. Apparently, the contractor specifically requested that I accompany him. I'm less than thrilled about it. I know how much this meant to you."

Izumi shook her head and walked toward Itachi, placing a hand on his cheek. The raven unconsciously leaned into her touch.

"Don't feel bad, Itachi-kun. It's not your fault. I'm not angry with you. I'm angry at the situation. The village works you like a dog, because they know you're the best they've got. It's unfair. I should go and give Tsunade-sama a piece of my mind." Izumi said, annoyance evident in her tone.

"I suppose nothing I say will stop you from doing that, will it?" Itachi asked with a sigh.

The brunette simply smirked.

"Oh, you know me so well."

With that, Izumi marched out of the apartment and towards the Hokage Tower, Itachi in tow. The lunch made with love was left forgotten. Izumi had a mission of her own.

x-x-x

Tsunade was in the middle of a briefing with Sakura when the door to her office suddenly flew open.

"Oh, Tsunade-sama! I'd like to have a word with you!" Izumi barked, marching into the office like she owned the place. Itachi simply followed behind her wordlessly. It was useless trying to talk sense into her when she was like this. She was an Uchiha, after all.

Sakura raised an eyebrow and turned toward her master. "Tsunade-sama, what did you do to get Izumi-san all pissed off? You didn't spike someone's drink again, did you?"

The blonde could only roll her eyes at her disciple. "Of course not! What do you take me for!? Actually, don't answer that."

Shaking her head at her master's antics, Sakura turned back to Izumi and Itachi. "What in the world is going on? I don't think I've ever seen you this worked up!" she exclaimed.

"Our anniversary is tomorrow, and I'm being sent on a mission first thing in the morning. We came to hopefully have a respectful discussion regarding the situation with Tsunade-sama," Itachi replied, glancing at Izumi from the corner of his eye as to say not to start anything.

"I can't respect this decision. Tsunade-sama, you know that Itachi-kun has missed my birthday and our last anniversary. Every shinobi knows that things like that are part of the job description, but can't you give him a break just this once? So what if this guy specifically requested him?" Izumi ranted.

"Our contractor is an important political figure! I don't know what you want me to do. Uchiha was requested, so he has to go. I understand wanting to be together during your special day, but can't you celebrate when Itachi comes home?" Tsunade asked.

The brunette looked as if she was about to burst a blood vessel, so Sakura decided to chime in. "May I make a suggestion? What if Izumi-san goes along on the mission? Would that work?"

Tsunade contemplated the suggestion for a moment, looking torn. "That could be a potential solution, but we were only contracted for one shinobi."

"It doesn't matter to me if I don't receive compensation. I'd just like to be with Itachi-kun tomorrow. Besides, wouldn't it be better to have two shiobi just in case something unexpected happens? That is, if it's okay with you, Itachi-kun," Izumi said.

"That's fine with me. At this point, it is the only solution I can see with the best outcome for everyone involved," the raven replied.

Tsunade nodded, finally deciding to allow it. It was true that it was the best possible solution, and she honestly didn't feel like dealing with a pissed off Izumi. She felt a headache coming on, and just wanted everyone out of her face.

"Sure, whatever. I'll throw in an extra mission allowance for you two as compensation for the inconvenience. Find an onsen or a fancy restaurant on the way back, and consider it my anniversary gift to you. Oh, and Izumi? If you barge into my office like that again, I'm assigning you D-rank missions for a month," the blonde hissed.

The brunette let out a nervous chuckle, feeling slightly intimidated now that she wasn't as angry. She decided that it'd probably be best to apologize, especially considering the woman was willing to compromise. Not only that, but Tsunade definitely didn't need to give them an extra mission allowance. "Understood, Tsunade-sama. I apologize for my outburst, and I am glad we were able to come to an agreement," she said, bowing deeply.

"Apology accepted. Now, both of you get out of my sight so I can continue my briefing with my disciple."

With a nod of their heads and one last bow, Itachi and Izumi took their leave from the office. It wasn't the ideal situation, but at least they'd be together for their anniversary.

Making a relationship work as shinobi could be complicated, to say the least.


	3. The True You

Beads of sweat formed on Izumi Uchiha's forehead as she willed her aching legs to carry her faster through the outskirts of town. She had set off on a mission of her own, and would carry it out no matter what. She would find Itachi Uchiha if it was the last thing she did.

If said Uchiha was as ruthless as everyone made him out to be, she was almost certainly rushing to her death.

It had been five years since she'd come home early from a sudden mission, to find her mother laying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor. Izumi felt sick to her stomach as she recalled the strong smell of blood that had filled the air. Blood and gore had been a fact of life for her, as it was for all shinobi. However, knowing who it came from had made it all the more sickening. She'd barely had time to register that her mother had been brutally slaughtered before Itachi came out of the shadows. He had looked a little surprised to see her. Izumi hadn't even had a chance to ask 'why' before Itachi knocked her out with his Tsukuyomi.

Upon waking up the next morning and realizing her entire clan had been slaughtered, except for her and Sasuke, she couldn't believe it. How could a man who loathed violence so much be responsible for such bloodshed? She'd known Itachi for years, and could never have imagined him doing such a thing. Even after seeing him standing over her mother with her own eyes, and hearing horrifying details from Sasuke, it was just unbelievable.

Izumi told herself that it was all a lie, that he had to have been under the control of some powerful genjutsu. It had to be some kind of mind control. The man she knew, the man she loved, was not just a cold-blooded killer. There had to be more to it.

A flash of red caught her eye among the lush green trees, and Izumi slowed to a stop in a small clearing. She could barely hold back a gasp as she spotted none other than Itachi resting against a tree, staring right at her. It was near dinner time, and he was alone. Izumi could only assume that his partner she'd heard about had gone searching for food before turning in for the night.

If Itachi was surprised to see her, he definitely didn't show it. A wave of nausea took over Izumi as she took a moment to survey his appearance. He was as handsome as ever, but had a cold look about him. He wore a black robe covered in red clouds, which Izumi guessed was the uniform of the Akatsuki organization she'd heard about earlier.

"It's really you," Izumi said softly, breaking the silence.

"It's been a while," Itachi replied nonchalantly.

The girl's eyes narrowed slightly at his relaxed tone. Was he really expecting her? Did her presence mean nothing to him?

"You don't seem very surprised to see me."

"My foolish brother came running after me after he caught wind of my showing up. I could only assume you'd do the same."

"How could you do that to him!? How could you do that to us!? You murdered the entirety of our clan, and then show up only to beat the snot out of your little brother! I thought you loved him! Why spare only us!?" Izumi yelled, cursing herself as tears began welling up in her eyes.

Word of Itachi showing up in Konoha had spread quickly amongst the village. Izumi had quickly made her way to the town she'd heard Itachi and Kisame were last seen in, but it was too late. Upon reaching the hotel, she'd found Naruto with Jiraiya and Guy. Over the toad sage's shoulder was a badly beaten Sasuke. She could barely believe her ears after hearing what had transpired, and ignored the cries of "Stop, don't go!" from the three as she took off to find Itachi.

"I owe you no explanations. Though, if you must know, my efforts would have been wasted on you both," he replied coldly.

Izumi couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped her. Overcome with anger at his insinuation that she was weak, she activated her sharingan. Doing so made her feel slightly woozy, but she shook it off quickly. Thankfully, years of practice had made her able to maintain the sharingan for longer periods.

"I see you can finally activate your sharingan without passing out. Impressive. Now what?" he coldly remarked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Inwardly, Itachi willed Izumi to simply go away. He hadn't expected Sasuke to show up earlier in the day, and that whole ordeal was painful enough. After seeing Sasuke, he could only assume Izumi would track him down as well. Unfortunately, he ended up being right. It was almost too much. He never wanted to hurt his little brother, but it had to be done. He didn't want to hurt Izumi, too.

'I'm so sorry,' he thought.

Izumi wordlessly advanced toward Itachi, though she had no killing intent radiating from her. She was much more calm about meeting him than his brother had been, that was for sure. Even so, Itachi kept his guard up. It'd been a long time since they'd last seen each other, and a shinobi could never be too careful. Though, what she did next caught even Itachi off guard.

She stopped in front of him and bravely looked into his eyes.

Surprised by her boldness, or perhaps foolishness, Itachi willed himself to hold her gaze. He had to maintain his cold demeanor. He had to drive her away.

"Fight me," she commanded.

"No."

"Why not? You could kill me easily if you wanted to," she challenged, placing her hands on her hips.

'I don't want to kill you. I don't want to hurt you. I want to hold you.'

"Were you not listening? My efforts would have been wasted on you before, and now is no different. I have no interest in you," he hissed, inwardly cringing at his cracking facade.

"You're lying. I always thought something wasn't right. When I saw what you had done to Sasuke earlier today, I almost thought I'd been wrong. But, there's pain in your eyes. You're hiding something," Izumi replied softly, never breaking her gaze.

No longer able to look at her, Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She'd always known him so well, but there was no turning back. His fate was sealed, and Izumi needed to move on with her life. Opening his eyes and looking at her with new determination, he spoke before he could talk himself out of it.

"I don't care about what you think you know. Go away and forget about me. Don't appear in front of me again."

"You can send me away, but I'll never forget about you," she responded.

'I'm sorry for what I'm about to do.'

"I'll never forget about you, either," Itachi murmured.

The girl's eyes widened, and Itachi didn't know why he said it. All he knew was that he had to say something, anything. His eyes bled red, and he inwardly cursed himself as he unleashed his Tsukuyomi on her, just as he did years ago.

He caught her as she lost consciousness, and gently laid her against a tree. If Kisame found them like this, there would be trouble. Itachi had to find him first.

As Itachi walked away, he couldn't help but take one last glance back at the girl who had loved him unconditionally.

"I'm sorry," he said to the wind, before walking away.


	4. Seeking Solace

Itachi didn't know why his legs had led him to Izumi's house. All he knew was he didn't want to go home, and he most certainly didn't want to be alone at the moment.

So there he was, standing in front of the girl's house, debating whether he even should knock on the door or not. He'd gone on a walk in an attempt to clear his head and de-stress, no destination in mind. Surely she was busy. Why should he bother her with his problems? He should just turn around and go to Shisui's house if he needed a friend so badly.

Except Shisui was dead, and Itachi was being accused of his murder.

Itachi closed his eyes and shook his head almost violently, willing the images of his earlier encounter with the Leaf Police Force out of his mind. He'd lost his temper, and in front of Sasuke for good measure. But, who could blame him? Being accused of his best friend's murder was like a punch to the gut. If he was being honest, Itachi wasn't quite sorry for the words he'd spoken earlier in the day, or the beating he'd handed out.

Sighing to himself and deciding that being with a friend would likely be for the best, Itachi knocked on Izumi's front door.

It didn't take long for her to answer. She opened the door after a couple of moments, a bright smile appearing on her face. The raven couldn't help the own small smile that tugged at his lips in return.

"Oh, Itachi-kun! I wasn't expecting you. Please, come in," Izumi said, stepping aside to let him in.

The raven nodded and stepped inside, taking off his shinobi sandals and leaving them in the corner of the entryway. The two teens stood there awkwardly for a couple of moments, Izumi seemingly expecting him to tell her the reason for his sudden visit.

"I apologize for the sudden intrusion, Izumi. I was on a nightly stroll, and thought I'd stop by and catch up," he lied. "I can leave, if you were in the middle of something."

Izumi simply shook her head and waved her hand dismissively, almost as if she found his comments ridiculous. She offered him her hand, which he took wordlessly, and led him to the living room. Letting go of his hand, she gestured to the couch, where he took a seat.

The brunette remained standing and eyed him curiously, hands on her hips. "First of all, you could never intrude here, Itachi-kun. Secondly, you're not one to simply stop by here just to 'catch up', as much as I wouldn't mind that," she said teasingly.

Itachi opened his mouth to say something, but she put a hand up, silencing him.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. My parents are gone for the evening, and I'm not the best cook, but would you like something to eat? Or maybe some tea?"

The raven knew that if he denied her, she'd only think he didn't want to inconvenience her. He smiled at her hospitality. "Just tea would be fine. Thank you."

That seemed to satisfy her, and she nodded with a smile. After assuring him that she'd be right back, she headed into the kitchen to prepare the tea. Itachi took the opportunity to survey the room.

Pictures of a smiling Izumi and her family adorned the walls, along with rare ninja tools that were being displayed for decoration. Awards Izumi had won at the academy were also displayed, as well as artwork that had seemingly been drawn by a child. Itachi found himself both happy that she seemed to have such a loving and supportive family, and slightly envious.

Itachi didn't come over to Izumi's house often. He was simply too busy, but the two met up when they could. He'd never really had a chance to look around. The raven found himself wondering how Izumi's parents felt about the plot to overthrow the village. Izumi had mentioned that she was against it in the past. Had she spoken to her parents about it? Could they help convince his father and the others not to overthrow the village?

Or, would war break out?

Would everyone die?

Would Shisui's sacrifice be in vain?

"Itachi-kun?"

A voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he looked up to find Izumi standing over him, tea in hand. He took the tea from her and uttered a soft 'thank you' before staring into the steaming mug, seemingly shutting down.

Izumi sat down next to the raven, putting her own mug of tea down on the coffee table in front of them. She frowned at the troubled look on Itachi's face and sudden change in demeanor. She didn't want to upset him or pry in any way, but it wasn't healthy to hold one's emotions in as Itachi tended to do. She pondered the best approach, before placing a hand on his back lightly. Her touch made Itachi look over at her, and she could tell he was waiting on her to speak.

"I know something's bothering you. Does it have something to do with you and Shisui-san not showing up to last night's meeting?" she questioned lightly.

Itachi let out a shaky breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding, and closed his eyes momentarily at the question. His emotions were written all over his face and body language, and honestly, he felt weak in that moment. Shinobi weren't supposed to show their emotions. That was one of the most basic codes of conduct in their profession. But, he was just so tired and angry and oh, so very heartbroken because why did this have to happen to them?

All he wanted was to just talk to someone about it. To vent. To whine about how unfair it all was and how frustrated he was. And, he could. This was Izumi, his other best friend. She wouldn't judge him. She never had before.

"Shisui died last night, Izumi," he murmured after a moment, his own words making him feel sick to his stomach.

"Oh, my God. Itachi-kun, I'm… I'm so sorry," Izumi gasped, eyes wide in horror.

Itachi took a sip of his tea, whether to calm himself down or put off going into further detail, even he wasn't sure. He was quiet for a few moments before placing his tea on the coffee table beside hers. "The Leaf Police Force came knocking on my door this afternoon. They think I murdered him," Itachi said bitterly, anger seeping into his tone.

"What!? No way. You would never! What the hell is wrong with them!?" she replied in outrage.

"They believe I did, as we were the only ones absent from last night's meeting. When those men accused me, I lost my temper. I said things I'm not sure if I even meant or not. A physical altercation ensued, and Sasuke saw the whole thing."

Izumi began running her hand up and down his back. She occasionally drew what she hoped were comforting circles with her fingers, waiting for him to continue.

"I didn't kill him. To be falsely accused of murdering my best friend is more than I can handle right now. I'm tired, Izumi. I'm living in constant fear that civil war will break out because of our clan's foolish actions. No one seems to have considered the ramifications, except for a select few," Itachi finished.

Izumi knew that the select few Itachi was referring to was herself, himself, and Shisui, who was now dead.

"I believe you, Itachi-kun. I know you wouldn't even dream of hurting Shisui."

Izumi considered asking Itachi what really happened to Shisui, but she didn't want to cause him any more pain. Besides, she could draw her own conclusions from what she'd heard, and from observation. Itachi was clearly innocent, and he had no visible injuries. If he and Shisui were ambushed by an enemy and Shisui ended up dead, Itachi likely would have been injured in the conflict. Itachi appeared to be haunted by what happened, almost as if he'd witnessed something awful. Izumi could only draw one conclusion.

Suicide.

Izumi was sure her theory would be proven correct once the investigation was completed. That is, if it was done thoroughly, and not marred by baseless suspicions.

Itachi's voice brought her back to reality.

"Thank you, Izumi."

"For what?" She asked, her hand on his back finally ceasing its movements.

"For letting me vent, and most of all, for believing me." he murmured.

She gazed at him intently for a moment, before wordlessly pulling him into a hug. Itachi was momentarily surprised, but not uncomfortable. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, almost shyly, having never been this close to her, or any girl besides his mother before. He found that he didn't mind it, even when Izumi buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"Of course I believe you, Itachi-kun. Everything's going to be okay in the end," she said, her voice slightly muffled from being so close to him.

The two of them stayed like that for a while. Itachi seeking solace in her arms, and Izumi more than willing to oblige. They moved on to happier topics, such as what they'd do once peace was achieved, and whether the first or fourth hokage would have won in a fight.

Izumi had told him that everything would be okay in the end. Whether she was right or not, he didn't know.

For now, Itachi chose to believe her.


	5. Honeymoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is an expansion of a scene in my ItaIzu oneshot called Not To Be. If you'd like to go back and read it before this, great! This is really just sinful goodness.

Izumi suddenly found herself standing in the middle of a huge room, which she quickly deduced was a hotel suite. The brunette stared in awe at the balcony across the room, which had a view of the sea. She could almost hear the aqua waves crashing thunderously against the beach, even with the sliding door closed. The brunette was so distracted by her admiration of the view, that she almost overlooked the red rose petals leading up to an incredibly comfortable looking king-sized bed. It was only then that Izumi realized where she was, and the implications of it.

'Is this my honeymoon?' she wondered, a blush rising to her cheeks.

Her question was quickly answered when a masculine pair of arms embraced her gently from behind. She shivered from the contact, and it all came back to her.

'That's right. I'm in a powerful genjutsu.'

The man embracing her leaned in and peppered soft kisses along her neck, and she tilted her head to the side to allow him better access. Izumi let out a soft gasp, and she felt him smile softly against her skin.

'In this world, I just married Itachi-kun. He's the one making me feel this way.'

Itachi continued placing soft kisses along her neck, working his way up to just below her ear. The feel of his hot breath on her did things to her insides, made her want to lose control with him. Just how long had she dreamed of doing just that? If she was being honest with herself, longer than she'd like to admit.

"Is this okay?" he murmured.

'This isn't real,' Izumi thought to herself wistfully.

But God, it felt real. His breath on her, his arms embracing her, his deep baritone. She didn't care if it was an illusion. She wanted him.

She loved him.

"Yes. More than okay," she breathed.

And then she turned in his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him into a kiss.

Itachi's lips were even softer than she'd imagined as they moved over hers. Izumi moved one hand to cup his cheek tenderly, while her other hand ran through the softness of his ponytail. She tugged on it lightly, and he gasped ever so lightly in pleasure before his own hands started wandering. What started as a gentle kiss quickly became more passionate, and he pulled her flush against him as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip. Izumi happily obliged him, and let out a moan as it danced against hers. The raven buried one hand into her brunette hair while the other one snaked under the hem of her shirt, teasing the skin underneath.

The brunette reluctantly broke the kiss and pulled her shirt over her head, before gazing up at Itachi with half-lidded eyes. She tugged on his own shirt and struggled to find her voice.

"I want this off," she breathed, and Itachi certainly didn't have to be told twice.

The raven pulled his shirt over his head and wasted no time capturing her lips in another searing kiss. All traces of hesitancy were gone, and Izumi could swear her legs would give out at any moment. He backed her towards the bed and they tumbled down onto it together, Itachi making sure not to rest all of his weight on her. Neither of them were willing to break their kiss, so shimmying their way towards the pillows took a little more effort than it should have. Even so, they managed to get comfortable, and Itachi suddenly found himself on his back with Izumi straddling his waist.

Izumi broke the kiss to leave open mouthed kisses along his neck, before taking his earlobe into her mouth and biting down gently. She felt a swell of pride when he groaned lightly, and she resumed kissing down his neck, working her way to his well toned chest. Despite the rigorous life of a shinobi, Itachi's skin was near flawless. The brunette spotted one faded scar on his stomach, and placed a tender kiss there before working her way back up.

Itachi must have grown impatient with her teasing, because he suddenly sat up with her still in his lap, and resumed kissing his way down her neck. He briefly stopped to admire the lacy white bra she was wearing, before she pressed her breasts against his bare chest. The contact made him shiver, and he decided it'd feel even better without a barrier separating them. He quickly reached behind her and unhooked her bra, fumbling just once, before removing the offending undergarment.

Though Izumi blushed madly, she resisted the urge to cover herself. Any embarrassment she may have had over her top half being exposed was quickly replaced by a moan as Itachi cupped her breasts. He rolled a nipple between his fingers and it immediately hardened in response to his touch. What neither of them counted on was the intense shock of pleasure that followed, as Izumi instinctively rolled her hips against his.

The raven hissed in pleasure and ground his hips upward in response, seeking that delicious friction once more. He couldn't help the small smirk that graced his features when Izumi threw her head back in response.

"Ah..! Itachi-kun…" she moaned, grinding against him and wishing there were no more clothes between them.

Itachi must have been thinking the same thing, because Izumi was suddenly on her back. She whined at the loss of friction between them, but quickly gasped as the raven took a hardened nipple in his mouth. She closed her eyes and ran her hands through his hair lightly, focused only on the pleasure he was giving her.

The raven then moved on Izumi's other breast, making sure to give it equal attention. Once his assault on her breasts was complete, he kissed his way down her stomach before stopping at the waistband of her pants.

Izumi couldn't help but smile as he gazed up at her silently, as if to ask permission to continue. She nodded shyly, and lifted up a tad to assist him as he removed her pants and underwear at once.

Itachi briefly sat back to admire the beauty before him, a smirk gracing his features at her obvious blush.

"You're beautiful…" he murmured.

Any response the brunette may have had turned into a gasp as Itachi leaned down and began kissing his way up her inner thigh. She instinctively tried bucking her hips upward, craving attention where she needed it most, but he held her hips down firmly. He bypassed her center and began placing open mouthed kisses down her other thigh, his pants becoming increasingly tight at the delicious sounds escaping her.

"Mmm… Itachi-kun, please… More…"

Well, he certainly couldn't say no to that.

Izumi's reaction was immediate as Itachi slowly slid a single digit into her dripping folds. She gripped the sheets tightly and rocked her hips as he added a second finger. A curse spilled from her lips as he leaned in and simultaneously began flicking her clit with his tongue.

"Ungh! Fuck, Itachi-kun..!"

The fact that his normally polite wife was completely losing herself to the pleasure he was giving her only spurred him on further. Quickening the pace of his fingers, he drank her in as her walls tightened and his name spilled from her lips as her orgasm overtook her.

The raven sat up and nearly came undone at the sight before him. Izumi was spread out in all of her beautiful glory, cheeks and eyes darkened with pleasure.

Izumi suddenly sat up and gazed up at him through half-lidded eyes, before boldly cupping him through his pants and rubbing with purpose, tearing a gasp from his throat.

"Izumi…" he murmured huskily.

"It's your turn now, Itachi-kun," she replied, moving to undo his zipper.

Impossibly turned on by her boldness, the raven eagerly helped her remove the remainder of his clothing, before letting Izumi push him onto his back.

Keeping her eyes on his, Izumi settled between his legs and pumped his member experimentally, smiling when a pleasured sigh escaped his lips. Going a step further, she quickened her pace and ran her thumb over the head, loving the way he screwed his eyes shut and panted her name.

Wanting to give him the same mind-numbing pleasure he'd given her, Izumi lowered her head and took his tip into her mouth, beginning to suck softly. Itachi let out a strangled moan and barely managed to resist bucking his hips upward.

Izumi had never done this before, but Itachi's pleasured responses encouraged her to keep going. She slowly took him deeper and ran her tongue along the underside of his shaft, the sight of him falling apart beneath her making her want him even more.

"Izumi, stop," he gasped, and Izumi immediately pulled back.

"I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" she asked in concern.

The raven shook his head.

"Not at all. It's just that I don't want this to end too soon," he replied, sitting up to place a tender kiss on her lips.

She smiled against his lips and cupped his cheeks in her hands, angling her head to deepen the kiss. Itachi responded in kind and pulled her into his lap so Izumi was straddling him. The kiss was slow and sensual, and the two gasped in pleasure as they rocked their hips together, coating Itachi's member with her wetness.

"God, Itachi-kun…" Izumi moaned.

"Ah… I need you," Itachi groaned in response, gripping her hips and placing hot kisses along her neck.

Izumi raised her hips slightly and helped guide his member into her dripping entrance. Slowly, she sank down and took him in inch by inch, noting only a tad bit of discomfort instead of the pain she had been expecting. Itachi's hold on her hips tightened a bit and he focused on his breathing, clearly not wanting to move too quickly and hurt her in any way.

After taking a couple of moments to get used to him being inside of her, she lifted her hips experimentally and sank back down, gasping at the pleasure it brought her. Itachi groaned in pleasure and assisted her, urging her on as she moved up and down deliciously, their moans growing louder in volume and frequency.

All traces of shyness gone, Izumi pressed her chest against his fully, doing anything she could to get as close to him as possible. Itachi threw his head back as she assaulted the space just below his ear, sucking and biting lightly before soothing the area with her tongue.

The raven moved his grip from her hips to her ass, meeting her halfway as they encouraged each other to move faster. He could feel himself getting close, but he wanted to bring her over the edge one more time. With that thought in mind, he brought one hand between them to rub tiny circles at her clit, smirking when she tore her mouth from his neck and nearly screamed in pleasure.

"Ahh..! Oh..! Itachi-kun!"

Itachi felt her walls constrict around him in euphoria, and that was all it took to bring him over the edge as well.

"Izumi..!"

Utterly spent, the two stilled for a couple of moments as they rode out their high together. Izumi untangled herself from him and laid down beside him, both of them trying to catch their breath.

The brunette turned towards him shyly and he smiled at her, lifting his arm up so she could cuddle up to his chest. No words were needed between them, they could wait. All that mattered was that in this world, she was married to Itachi, and she was the happiest she could be.

Izumi didn't care if she lived the rest of her life in a genjutsu, as long as it was with him by her side.

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to bring some of my work from FF over here! I am exploding-penguins over there. Hope you enjoyed if you're new to my work. Comments are appreciated!


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